Minutes:
1. It was moved by County Councillor Frank De Molfetta and seconded by County Councillor David O'Toole that:
Lancashire Combined Fire and Rescue Authority remains committed to delivering the best possible service to Lancashire's communities, with the resources it has available. The county council notes that the fire and rescue authority continues to work productively and effectively with a range of stakeholders and that the fire and rescue authority also acknowledges the new statutory duty to collaborate with other emergency services, while recognising many initiatives were already in place or in development irrespective of this mandate.
The county council remains confident that current governance arrangements present the best way to deliver a fire and rescue service for Lancashire's communities, and notes that the fire and rescue authority will provide the information required for the work proposed by the police and crime commissioner, which it believes will evidence that collaborative opportunities are already being effectively progressed within existing structures.
Consequently, this council is opposed to any proposals that transfer any current responsibilities of the fire and rescue authority in Lancashire to the police and crime commissioner.
Lancashire County Council therefore asks the interim Chief Executive and Director of Resources to write to the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Home Secretary explaining this view, sending copies to all Lancashire members of parliament.
On being put to the vote the motion was CARRIED and it was:
Resolved: - That:
Lancashire Combined Fire and Rescue Authority remains committed to delivering the best possible service to Lancashire's communities, with the resources it has available. The county council notes that the fire and rescue authority continues to work productively and effectively with a range of stakeholders and that the fire and rescue authority also acknowledges the new statutory duty to collaborate with other emergency services, while recognising many initiatives were already in place or in development irrespective of this mandate.
The county council remains confident that current governance arrangements present the best way to deliver a fire and rescue service for Lancashire's communities, and notes that the fire and rescue authority will provide the information required for the work proposed by the police and crime commissioner, which it believes will evidence that collaborative opportunities are already being effectively progressed within existing structures.
Consequently, this council is opposed to any proposals that transfer any current responsibilities of the fire and rescue authority in Lancashire to the police and crime commissioner.
Lancashire County Council therefore asks the interim Chief Executive and Director of Resources to write to the Police and Crime Commissioner and the Home Secretary explaining this view, sending copies to all Lancashire members of parliament.
2. It was moved by County Councillor John Potter and seconded by County Councillor David Howarth that:
Lancashire County Council notes:
The disappointment felt by many Lancashire residents, parents and teachers, over the government announcement of a £50m fund to help grammar schools expand at a time when school budgets are very tight; and the prospect of new schools potentially being fully selective on religious grounds.
The clear evidence produced by the Institute of Fiscal Studies (IFS) that grammar schools do not improve social mobility. The conclusion of the IFS is that grammar schools may offer an opportunity to improve and stretch the brightest pupils, but it is likely to come at the cost of increasing inequality.
We further note that schools in partnership with Lancashire County Council could create a new generation of voluntary aided faith schools that would have the ability to be fully selective on grounds of religion.
Lancashire County Council believes:
That while we welcome the ability of councils to open new schools, the focus should not be on wholly selective, faith-based or free schools.
That the £50m fund should be used instead to help our struggling state schools and that the Government should repeal the rule that all new-state funded schools must be free schools or academies.
Lancashire County Council resolves:
To instruct the interim Chief Executive and Director of Resources to:
(i) Write to the Secretary of State for Education to request a review of this initiative.
(ii) Write to Lancashire MPs asking them to support the terms of this resolution.
The following amendment was proposed by County Councillor Susie Charles and seconded by County Councillor Philippa Williamson:
Lancashire County Council notes the government announcement of a £50m fund to help grammar schools expand.
We further note that schools in partnership with Lancashire County Council could create a new generation of voluntary aided faith schools that would have the ability to be fully selective on grounds of religion
We welcome the ability of councils to open new schools and instruct the interim Chief Executive and Director of Resources to write to the Secretary of State for Education to welcome the opportunity and new funding and to clarify how this new money can be best used for the benefit of children and young people in Lancashire.
The amendment was put to the vote and was CARRIED and became the substantive motion. The substantive motion was then put to the vote and was CARRIED. It was therefore:
Resolved: - That:
Lancashire County Council notes the government announcement of a £50m fund to help grammar schools expand.
We further note that schools in partnership with Lancashire County Council could create a new generation of voluntary aided faith schools that would have the ability to be fully selective on grounds of religion
We welcome the ability of councils to open new schools and instruct the interim Chief Executive and Director of Resources to write to the Secretary of State for Education to welcome the opportunity and new funding and to clarify how this new money can be best used for the benefit of children and young people in Lancashire.
3. It was moved by County Councillor Gina Dowding and seconded by County Councillor Shaun Turner that:
Lancashire County Council celebrates the success of ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) Awareness Week, which ran from 6 to 12 May 2018 and acknowledges that people with ME, their families and ME organisations worked hard during the week to highlight the experience of people with ME/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), and thanks all those with ME who attended events, such as the Missing from Morecambe event, and Lancaster City Council for lighting up the Ashton Memorial in Lancaster in blue to raise awareness of this debilitating illness.
Lancashire County Council notes that an Early Day Motion had earlier been launched by Carol Monaghan MP:
"That this House recognises Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) Awareness Week, from 6 to 12 May 2018 which aims to highlight the impact this invisible illness has on 250,000 people across the UK; recognises the fantastic work campaigners and charities are doing to highlight ME as a physical condition which is not all in the mind; acknowledges the detrimental effect of the PACE trials and its results, and the work which is being done to reverse this; and encourages people to go blue for ME across the week, to further bring this illness out of the shadows and into the spotlight".
Lancashire County Council therefore resolves, in support of the hundreds of people in Lancashire living with ME, to request that the interim Chief Executive and Director of Resources writes to all Lancashire MPs asking them to support any efforts to relieve the suffering of people with ME and encourage debate in Parliament on issues relating to ME including:
· Medical Education
· Need for an Early and Accurate Diagnosis
· NICE guideline review
· The PACE trial
· NHS services postcode lottery
· Problems relating to children (child care facilities)
· Severe ME (lack of domiciliary services and specialised units and difficulties accessing social care)
· DWP benefits
· Biomedical research
On being put to the vote the motion was CARRIED and it was:
Resolved: - That:
Lancashire County Council celebrates the success of ME (Myalgic Encephalomyelitis) Awareness Week, which ran from 6 to 12 May 2018 and acknowledges that people with ME, their families and ME organisations worked hard during the week to highlight the experience of people with ME/CFS (Chronic Fatigue Syndrome), and thanks all those with ME who attended events, such as the Missing from Morecambe event, and Lancaster City Council for lighting up the Ashton Memorial in Lancaster in blue to raise awareness of this debilitating illness.
Lancashire County Council notes that an Early Day Motion had earlier been launched by Carol Monaghan MP:
"That this House recognises Myalgic Encephalomyelitis (ME) Awareness Week, from 6 to 12 May 2018 which aims to highlight the impact this invisible illness has on 250,000 people across the UK; recognises the fantastic work campaigners and charities are doing to highlight ME as a physical condition which is not all in the mind; acknowledges the detrimental effect of the PACE trials and its results, and the work which is being done to reverse this; and encourages people to go blue for ME across the week, to further bring this illness out of the shadows and into the spotlight".
Lancashire County Council therefore resolves, in support of the hundreds of people in Lancashire living with ME, to request that the interim Chief Executive and Director of Resources writes to all Lancashire MPs asking them to support any efforts to relieve the suffering of people with ME and encourage debate in Parliament on issues relating to ME including:
· Medical Education
· Need for an Early and Accurate Diagnosis
· NICE guideline review
· The PACE trial
· NHS services postcode lottery
· Problems relating to children (child care facilities)
· Severe ME (lack of domiciliary services and specialised units and difficulties accessing social care)
· DWP benefits
· Biomedical research
4. It was moved by County Councillor David Whipp and seconded by County Councillor David Howarth that:
Council notes the reaction to proposed staffing changes at libraries in Pendle as a consequence of standardisation of library opening hours.
In view of the considerable concern expressed by library users, particularly in Colne, council requests that the portfolio holder reviews this issue in the hope of achieving a more acceptable outcome.
The following amendment was proposed by County Councillor Peter Buckley and seconded by County Councillor Joe Cooney:
Council notes the reaction to proposed staffing changes at libraries in Pendle as a consequence of standardisation of library opening hours.
Council is recommended to:
• Acknowledge the dedication and hard work of library staff across the County.
• Note that staff transfers between libraries are a necessary function of operational management, in accordance with established HR policies and procedures.
• Note that reopening of Barrowford library in January and the forthcoming reopening of Earby library increases library provision in Pendle by over 20%.
• Note that the revised Premises Use Policy provides additional flexibility for accessing library buildings outside of core opening times.
• Note the standardisation of library hours across the County into four Bands increases the cumulative total opening hours at a reduced cost to the taxpayer.
• Note that no member of library staff has been made compulsory redundant as part of the standardisation of library opening hours process.
The amendment was put to the vote and was CARRIED and became the substantive motion. The substantive motion was then put to the vote and it was CARRIED. It was therefore:
Resolved: - That:
Council notes the reaction to proposed staffing changes at libraries in Pendle as a consequence of standardisation of library opening hours.
Council is recommended to:
• Acknowledge the dedication and hard work of library staff across the County.
• Note that staff transfers between libraries are a necessary function of operational management, in accordance with established HR policies and procedures.
• Note that reopening of Barrowford library in January and the forthcoming reopening of Earby library increases library provision in Pendle by over 20%.
• Note that the revised Premises Use Policy provides additional flexibility for accessing library buildings outside of core opening times.
• Note the standardisation of library hours across the County into four Bands increases the cumulative total opening hours at a reduced cost to the taxpayer.
• Note that no member of library staff has been made compulsory redundant as part of the standardisation of library opening hours process.
5. It was moved by County Councillor Paul Greenall and seconded by County Councillor Gina Dowding that:
This Council notes the recent election of a new Conservative administration on Pendle Borough Council and that this administration was elected on a manifesto pledge to: “Look to establish a new Unitary Authority for Pennine Lancashire, this would ensure decisions on areas such as Highways, Education and Social Care are taken by one Council, closer to home”.
In recognition of this mandate, this Council instructs the interim Chief Executive and Director of Resources (and relevant county council officers) to co-operate positively with Pendle Borough Council (and any other interested parties within Lancashire), in order to help in the establishment of a new Unitary Authority for Pennine Lancashire.
The following amendment was proposed by County Councillor Joe Cooney and seconded by County Councillor Christian Wakeford:
This Council notes the recent election of a new Conservative administration on Pendle Borough Council and that this administration was elected on a manifesto pledge to:
“Look to establish a new Unitary Authority for Pennine Lancashire, this would ensure decisions on areas such as Highways, Education and Social Care are taken by one Council, closer to home”.
Council welcomes the new administration of Pendle Borough Council and notes discussions on Unitary Authority status will shortly be held across all parties in East Lancashire.
Council therefore resolves to await the outcome of these discussions and any firm proposals being put forward for consideration.
The amendment was accepted and became the substantive motion. The substantive motion was then put to the vote and was CARRIED. It was therefore:
Resolved: - That:
This Council notes the recent election of a new Conservative administration on Pendle Borough Council and that this administration was elected on a manifesto pledge to:
“Look to establish a new Unitary Authority for Pennine Lancashire, this would ensure decisions on areas such as Highways, Education and Social Care are taken by one Council, closer to home”.
Council welcomes the new administration of Pendle Borough Council and notes discussions on Unitary Authority status will shortly be held across all parties in East Lancashire.
Council therefore resolves to await the outcome of these discussions and any firm proposals being put forward for consideration.